Short Fiction · Chapter
XV: Look at the Rain! explained
The princess finally releases her pent-up tears, discovering her gravity as a result.
What happens
The princess finally releases her pent-up tears, discovering her gravity as a result. A miraculous rain of jewels falls, and the prince, also recovered, rejoices with her. The princess struggles to learn to walk, but finds joy in the prince's company and in the lake. The aunt is ultimately buried in the ruins of her house, and the prince and princess live happily ever after.
Themes in this chapter
Suffering and Divine Chastening
The princess's painful discovery of gravity and the subsequent rain symbolize a necessary trial leading to growth and joy.
Family and Sacrificial Love
The prince's patient teaching and the king and queen's rejoicing highlight familial and romantic love as a source of consolation.
Characters to notice
- The Princess
Bursts into tears, discovers her gravity, learns to walk, and becomes betrothed to the prince.
- Prince
Recovers alongside the princess, teaches her to walk, and rejoices in their betrothal.
- Rosamond
The old nurse who joyfully recognizes the princess has found her gravity.
Key passages
“The princess burst into a passion of tears, and fell on the floor. There she lay for an hour and her tears never ceased.”
The princess cried intensely and collapsed, remaining on the floor for an hour without stopping.
Describes the princess's emotional release and the beginning of her transformation.
“And a rain came on, such as had never been seen in that country. The sun shone all the time, and the great drops, which fell straight to the earth, shone likewise. The palace was in the heart of a rainbow. It was a rain of rubies, and sapphires, and emeralds, and topazes.”
An unprecedented rain fell, with the sun still shining and the drops sparkling like jewels, enveloping the palace in a rainbow.
Symbolic rain of precious stones accompanies the princess's emotional change.
“But the princess did not heed the lake. She lay on the floor and wept. And this rain within doors was far more wonderful than the rain out of doors.”
The princess ignored the lake, remaining on the floor to cry, and her indoor tears were more remarkable than the outdoor rain.
Contrasts the external marvel with the internal emotional event.
“At length, after many efforts, she succeeded in getting upon her feet. But she tumbled down again directly. Hearing her fall, her old nurse uttered a yell of delight, and ran to her, screaming— 'My darling child! she’s found her gravity!'”
After struggling, the princess stood up but immediately fell. Her nurse joyfully exclaimed that she had found her gravity.
The princess discovers her gravity, a key plot point.
“Of course the prince and princess were betrothed at once. But the princess had to learn to walk, before they could be married with any propriety.”
The prince and princess became engaged immediately, but the princess needed to learn to walk before they could marry properly.
Highlights the practical consequence of the princess's newfound gravity.
“The only revenge the princess took upon her aunt was to tread pretty hard on her gouty toe the next time she saw her. But she was sorry for it the very next day, when she heard that the water had undermined her house, and that it had fallen in the night, burying her in its ruins; whence no one ever ventured to dig up her body.”
The princess's sole revenge was stepping on her aunt's gouty toe, but she regretted it when she learned the aunt's house collapsed and buried her.
The aunt's fate is revealed, and the princess feels remorse for her small act of vengeance.